Tag Archives: Boston

Head of the Charles Regatta (this weekend)

Posted on October 23, 2010 | 6 comments

The Charles River divides Boston from Cambridge and each autumn the Head of the Charles Regatta takes place. The two-day sporting event includes more than 8,000 rowers competing in over 50 races and draws more than 300,000 spectators (many of them college students proudly -and somewhat drunkenly- cheering on their school).

The seven bridges that criss-cross the Charles River along the race course provide excellent vantage points, but I’m more partial to viewing from the Cambridge side nearer Harvard University and Harvard Square. If you are new to Boston or rediscovering the city after many years of calling this place home – I would strongly recommend that you come and watch the Regatta. Harvard Square pubs and streets are overflowing with people and the city is abuzz with rowers who have come from all over to compete in this prestigious and largest regatta in the world.

The Boston Globe has an excellent article, full of photos called, Head of the Charles 101.

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Growing up gay

Posted on October 21, 2010 | 5 comments

In response to the recent rash of gay teen suicides, The Boston Globe has prominently displayed “Growing up gay” on Boston.com. The article includes personal stories of Bostonians who open up about the homophobia, fear, and isolation they endured as teens — and how they made it through.

This is just one example of why I moved and stayed in Boston some 13+ years ago. How many cities and parts of the country have so directly and compassionately addressed this issue? Certainly many sympathize privately with this situation, but the key to addressing this issue is publicly proclaiming your frustration and saying “life gets better.” This is not an issue to be meek or shy about if you hope to make a difference so I wanted to thank my hometown paper, The Boston Globe, for taking on this issue and sharing so many stories with its readers. I’m sure somewhere there are teens reading these stories, nodding their heads identifying with those same issues – even here in liberal MA.

The Globe cautions that some of these stories contain homophobic epithets but you can check out The Boston Globe article here.

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Weekend fun in Boston

Posted on October 14, 2010 | 1 comment

Despite the rains and wind forecast this weekend, the Boston Book Festival will be in full swing on Saturday. If you’ve never been to this festival – you should really check it out.

Authors like Dennis Lehane – author of best sellers like Shutter Island and Mystic River, Pulitzer Prize winning non-fiction author, Stacy Schiff and Joyce Carol Oates are among a long list of distinguished and accomplished authors and poets who will be present. For more information check out the link above or you can go to the BBF blog.


If food is more your thing then come over to my neighborhood and attend the Boston LobsterParty. Unlike the BBF, this will cost to get in, but you can easily purchase tickets online here, and all the proceeds go to the very deserving Community Servings charity, which brings warm nutritious meals to those suffering from critical and chronic illness and diseases like AIDS.

How can you go wrong with chefs from all around Boston sharing different dishes with lobster and plenty of beer available to wash the tastey crustacean down. Event details: Saturday from 2:00 – 4:30pm at The Trolley Barn. 540 Harrison Ave., Boston.

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Posted in Free Stuff, What'cha Reading

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M.I.T.’s cool architecture

Posted on October 13, 2010 | 3 comments

For anyone who has visited Boston they know the city’s architecture is synonymous with brick and brownstone. Check out some recent photos I took from BackBay last month for an example of what I’m referring to. Nearly half of my neighborhood (the South End) is comprised of mid-nineteenth century brick Victorian bow-front town houses. Despite this city’s love affair of all things brick – there is some really beautiful architecture that is really exciting if you are in to that sort of thing (and I am).

The NY Times has a cool article in today’s business /real estate section about M.I.T.’s campus transformation and the very edgy and modern buildings they have built across the Charles River. According to the article, M.I.T. has spent $1.4 billion constructing 10 buildings over the past decade. No wonder there does not appear to be a downturn in construction industry in the Boston area. They’ve engaged giants in architecture to build these “trophy buildings” including the likes of Frank Gehry.

I’ve included some photos of buildings on the M.I.T. campus I like.

M.I.T. Media Lab
M.I.T. Stata Center
You can read the full article here.
You can view the slide show of construction projects here.

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Posted in Architecture, Back Bay

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Free stuff to do in Boston this weekend

Posted on September 24, 2010 | 1 comment

I’ve been busy this week working in NYC, but I wanted to post some really cool (and free) activities that are happening in my neighborhood this weekend. The weather is expected to be full of sun with highs in the low 80s Friday and Saturday. Sunday appears to be a bit cooler, but still nice. If you are in the area, plan on checking out one of these events.

Music to your ears The Berklee BeanTown Jazz Festival concludes Saturday, September 25th with a free outdoor festival on several stages in the South End.

Art for your soul South End Open Studios is Saturday and Sunday from 11am to 6pm. Open Studios brings together more than 250 artists exhibiting their work in their studios. The website includes a map showing where participating artist studios are located. You can link here for directions.

Food for your stomach Saint John the Baptist on Union Park Street in the South End between Shawmut and Washington Street is hosting their annual Grecian festival. Friday 6pm – 10pm / Saturday 12pm – 10pm / Sunday 12pm – 8pm.

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Posted in Free Stuff, Music

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An evening at Fenway Park

Posted on September 22, 2010 | 1 comment

I’m sad it is a forgone conclusion that the Red Sox season is going to end without any post season play this year. However, that did not stop me from joining my friend Paul who was provided some sweet tickets to Fenway Park (in the State Street Pavilion) this past weekend.

The view from these seats is spectacular and the fact that they have added perks like your own entrance and exit, table service and more than enough space to walk around to enjoy both the game and the park makes these among my favorite seats at Fenway. We sat just left of home base and had a beautiful view of Fenway as well as the Back Bay skyline. I’ve attached a couple of pictures I snapped from my phone that evening.
Refreshments

View of the field

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Posted in Friends

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Boston holocaust monument

Posted on September 17, 2010 | 6 comments

I stumbled upon this photo when I visited a Chicagoan in Montreal blog. He had snapped this photo of the Boston Jewish Holocaust Memorial. Considering Yom Kippur starts at sundown tonight, I thought it appropriate to post.

Cities around the world have built their own holocaust memorials, but the six glass towers and the path you walk through in Boston near Government Center is incredibly somber.

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Free stuff to do in Boston this weekend

Posted on September 16, 2010 | Leave a comment

Berklee BeanTown Jazz Festival (Sept. 15 – 25th)

Yesterday the 10th annual Berklee BeanTown Jazz Festival kicked off. This year’s festival pays tribute to the music and culture of New Orleans. The 10-day event culminates a week from this Saturday (Sept 25) with a free outdoor festival on three stages that stretches over six blocks in my neighborhood, The South End. Last year’s event drew over 80,000, so put the date in your calendar and if you’re a jazz enthusiast check out their website for events this weekend.

Red Bull Art in Motion (Saturday 4:30 – 9:00pm)

Hard to describe and fascinating to watch. Check out this free event coming to Boston Saturday afternoon down at Government Center. Looks very cool and is certain to draw a lively crowd.

http://www.redbullusa.com/cs/RedBull/flash/socialmedia/RBPlayer.swf?data_url=http://www.redbullusa.com/cs/Satellite?c%3DRB_Video%26cid%3D1242898122252%26locale%3D1237401840060%26p%3D1242746208629%26pagename%3DRedBullUSA%2FRB_Video%2FVideoPlayerDataXML&quality=low&on_redbull=yup&primary_up_color=0xDD013F&primary_over_color=0x0C2044&primary_down_color=0x0C2044&secondary_up_color=0xDD013F&secondary_over_color=0x0C2044&secondary_down_color=0x0C2044&num_analytics_intervals=5

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Posted in Free Stuff, Music

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Tom Brady’s car accident 911 call (parody)

Posted on September 14, 2010 | 3 comments

Last week local news in New England was obsessed with a car accident on the streets of back bay because an individual had run a red light and hit Patriot’s QB, Tom Brady. I could not have cared less, but I assure you I was in the distinct minority.

The YouTube video is a parody of the reporting of the car accident and is just one more example of how obsessed New England is with their sports teams.

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Posted in People say the funniest things, Video

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Images of Back Bay

Posted on September 12, 2010 | 10 comments

Brownstones along Newbury Street

Church of the Covenant
Noted for their Tiffany stained glass windows, mosaics and chandelier

The Hancock and Boston Public Library (a.k.a. BPL)

Prudential Building (a.k.a. the Pru)

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Posted in Back Bay, Boston Slanguage

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My 9/11 tribute: Remembering my friend Graham

Posted on September 10, 2010 | 13 comments

Nine years ago yesterday (September 9, 2001) I said good night to my friend Graham (pictured above). He was leaving for L.A. in two days, and we were to connect the following weekend so he could tell me about the trip which was a mixture of business and pleasure.

For me the morning of September 11th is etched in my memory. It is filled with calls from friends trying to remain calm but their voices betraying their panic urgently inquiring if I knew what United flight Graham was on and asking if my partner (a F.A. for United at the time) was on the flight that left from Boston.

Taken too soon and still missed today, the nation will mourn an attack on the nation that is for most fodder for political debate and indignation. For me the 11th of September is always about giving thanks that my partner was not working that flight and about the days that followed which included the unfortunate task of packing my friend Graham’s belongings and shipping them to his parents in the U.K.

Listed below is a quick video of Boston’s humble but very serene memorial to that tragedy.

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Posted in Friends

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Summer 2010

Posted on September 6, 2010 | 7 comments

Labor Day marks the end of the summer season in the U.S. Hopefully warm weather will remain for a bit longer but for all intents and purposes, the summer of 2010 (which was truly spectacular) is now a thing of the past. I’ve included a few pictures from each month as a sort of homage to the season.

June – Boston Pride
Motley’s window display for pride was both creative and funny. FYI, that is the 80s Cosmo Centerfold of MA Senator, Scott Brown.

The block party as usual was the best part of Boston Pride.

Proud window dressing on Tremont Street.

More images from Boston Pride can be viewed here.

July – Week of the 4th in Provincetown
My photo with David and Sean after they legally wed in Provincetown.

Two guys showing off their patriotism on Commercial Street.

Temperatures in the 90s kept people hovering by the pool at the Boatslip.

For more photos from 4th of July week, link here.

August – Carnival in Provincetown
Tea Dance was packed all week long at the Boatslip.

Another float filled with sexy men flirting with the crowd.

Revelers enjoying the parade and shouting their approval to those sexy men.

More photos from Carnaval in Provincetown can be viewed here.

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Sweatin’ it out in Boston

Posted on September 1, 2010 | 5 comments

Boston has been simmering with temperatures in the mid 90s for the past several days. The heat looks like it will be here ’til Friday when Hurricane Earl is expected to bring high winds and lots of rain to the area. The big question is exactly how close will the hurricane come to the coast. Hopefully after a day of rain the tropical weather which always accompanies a hurricane will bring back warmth and sun for the second half of the holiday weekend.

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Welcome back college students

Posted on August 31, 2010 | 7 comments

September 1st is move-in day for Boston. With 60+ universities in and around Boston, most apartments have leases that start 1-Sept to accommodate the student population. Walking through the city this evening, evidence of people readying to move was apparent.

Starting 31-Aug, there will not be a spare rental truck available in all of eastern MA. The city streets will be filled with used furniture and other discarded belongings and moving vans/trucks will be double parked along bustling streets making it impossible to get around.

Although the summer officially does not end until the third week of September, the influx of students moving into their apartments will revive Boston and signals that autumn has arrived.

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Hiscock Park

Posted on August 16, 2010 | 11 comments

Words matter – if they didn’t this sign would not be so funny. I still remember when this small park on West Newton Street was being built and the first time I saw the name of the new neighborhood park. The irony is that the park happens to be in the traditionally gay neighborhood of Boston, the South End.

I’m sure Mr. (or Mrs.) Hiscock was a wonderful person, but unfortunately for them, locally this is not known as Hiscock Park, rather it is referred to as His-Cock.

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Posted in People say the funniest things

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